Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-07-09

Next day Prof Oedern related his inter
view to Councillor Erath, who was one O
the four curators Of the Collegium Carroll
mum, and in whose house lodged the siste
OF the deceased Dorien. He at once sale
that ne would inquire into the matter, anC
II he found that there were small debts o
this nature he would pay them.
The matter now became much talked
about among the masters of the college
who, however, were careful TO say nothing
about 1t 10 the pupils. Professor Seidler,
who had known and respected the de-
ceased, and was a friend of 0edern. then
volunteered to sit up the hext night with
the latter. Seidler was q man of some
note, who was chosen tutor of the Dukes
Charles Augustus and Frederick Ferdi-
nand of Saxe-Weimar. He died as consis-
torial councillor at Weimar about 177S.
About O'Clock in the morning Oedern
woke suddenly, and saw his unbidden
| guest standing, not as before, by the cup
board, but against the whitewashed wall.
He did not remain long stationary, but
walked up and down the room-if that can
be called walking when his legs did not
! apparently move, nor was there any sound
! OF football. Presently he drew near the
bed, when Oedern cried out, Vowel yoy-
ez ~ Seidler, who was awake, looked in
tently in the direction indicated. but
though he saw something vaporous and
white, could distinguish nothing clearly
Then Oedern exclaimed He is van
ished p
The friends then talked together about
what had happened, and Oedern asked
Seldler if he might refer TO him as an eve
witness; but this Solder would not allow.
He had seen nothing sufficiently to Justify
his being quoted az having beheld the
ghost Then Oedern said no more, but
laid himself down again and Seidler did
not talk, because he supposed his friend
wanted to go to sleep again Indeed, he
did doze Oft but almost Immediately
was reused, started up in bed, began to beat
about him with his fists and cried:
10 away You have tormented me
long enough If you want ANYTHING of
me tell me so at once and leave me at rest
When Oedern was somewhat pacifed,
Seldier asked him to explain his conduct
The professor of mathematics replied that
ne had seen the specter again, which had
approached the bed, leaned over il, and
then thrown itself across his body, so that
he felt the weight Cypress him. From this
night forward Oedern always had some one
IN his room with him. He was afraid to
sleep alone. Moreover, he now had light
oAH oyS DtsiulLS. winch ne mad not been ac-
customed to have before.
This so far answered that he saw the
ghost no more; nevertheless, every morn
ing about the same early honr at which it
hao oeen wont TO appear TO him, he was
conscious OF peculiar sensation over his
whole body, exactly as if feather brush
were passed over him. He felt no pain,
but tickling sensation. Also, occasionally
he heard a creaking and brushing against
the cupboard doors, or a tapping at his
door; but these manifestations became less
frequent, and at last ceased so completely
that the professor thought he was entirely
freed from his troublesome and uncanny
visitor, and that he could dispense with an
attendant and night-light.
Two nights had passed without disturb
ance after he had given up these precau-
tons, when on the third night ne saw the
specter again, which reused him at the
usual hour. 1t was not so distinct as be-
fore; ii held in its hand something like a
picture with hole IN it. and thrust its
hand several times through this hole. De-
dern plucked up courage to address it, and
SAID that he was unable to comprehend It's
meaning.
Again some of the masters of the Carroll.
mum sat up through the night with De-
dern, and the spirit again appeared two or
three times, but never so as to be more dis
tinctly seen. Unfortunately, we are not
informed whether they saw ii, or whether
the vision was confined to Oedern After |
some discussion among the masters and
professors, and inquiries made of his sister |
and others, 1t was ascertained that shortly |
before his death Dorien had had several |
slides sent him on approval
from an optician, and that these had neither |
been paid for nor returned.
ha 81. I.
TO the maker After this Prof Oedern was
no more troubled.
Prof. Oedern told his story, and, indeed |
it was well threshed out by the learned 4, [
Brunswick. 1t was talked of in the court |
and Oedern was questioned by the Duke |
about it. His account was taken down by |
the Provost Jerusalem, by Prof. Gebauer of |
the University of Gottingen and by Prof |
Segner 1t was published, discussed and |
was disputed by Prof. Hennings of Jena, |
who asserted that the ghost was no other |
than one of the scholars of the college in |
disguise He pointed out the suspicious
fact of the supposed ghost holding his
about his face so as to conceal |
considerable part of it, and keeping his |
hand in such position as to retain a sham |
beard from falling off, when he first ap-
peated to Hotter, and afterwards to Oedern |
and Hofer. Then again, the pretended |
ghost seemed to have suspicious attach |
ment for the cupboard, and the professor of |
mathematics had admitted that he heard |
the cupboard creak and stir when the ghost |
went back TO it, also he allowed that he had |
on one occasion seen it come out of it.
1t is possible enough that the first start |
ing of the ghost was due to a practicable |
joke; but clearly afterwards,the mathemat. |
cal professor labored under Indigestion and |
and the nightmare took the |
form of the specter he supposed he had |
seen, and which oppressed his mind. His |
sudden starts from sleep the time at which
he was reused, his beating about him with
his arms, his notion that a heavy body lay
across the bed and on his body, all clearly |
indicate nightmare. Oebern was himself |
so worthy and upright a man, so lacking in
imagination that no one supposed he was
tabricating story to brighten his fellows
Moreover, it was TO the interest of the mas
tiers not to allow the college to fall under
suspicion of being haunted-a suspicion
which might effect its prosperity and their
incomes. 1t was so clearly against his own
good that Oedern admitted the story. that |
all who heard him believed in his veracitv.
though they might doubt whether he had |
been visited by ghost.
1t is remarkable how very few ghost sto-
ries will bear TO be closely examined. and |
how often, in we'll authenticated stories.
just those special particulars are not de
tailed which ought to be told, so as to ena-
BILE US properly to judge the story.-Rcc. s.
Baring- Gould, A. d., IN CaSselFs Naga.jae